Material for starting fires and method of making same



United States Patent V 3,395,003 MATERIAL FOR STARTING FIRES AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Victor G. Alexander, P.O. Box 836, Santa Barbara, Calif. 93102 No Drawing. Filed Oct. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 587,950 2 Claims. (CI. 44-41) This invention pertains to the manufacture of kindling material useful for starting fires. In particular, the invention pertains to the manufacture of materials useful in the starting of charcoal fires, and the like, especially as same relates to the use of charcoal in cooking, particularly outdoor cooking. The invention is useful also in the starting of any other kind of fire, with such fuels as wood, logs, or any other fuel. The invention pertains to the material made according to the processes of manufacture, and to the processes.

A principal object of the invention is to provide kindling material and methods of manufacture thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide such material which is eflicient for use in starting fires, which has no objectionable odors, and which is safe when stored under normal temperature and atmospheric conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide methods for making materials, and the materials, useful for the starting of cumbustion of materials which cannot be lit by application of the flame of a match, or the like, and to which a longer flame duration must be employed in order to cause their ignition.

Still another object of the invention is to provide kindling material, which when burned during the starting of a fire, gives off a pleasant odor and enhances the atmosphere about the fire, and, in addition, serves to drive insects away from the location of the fire.

Briefly, the kindling material contemplated by the invention is provided in the form of sheets or webs, which may be curved in order to facilitate the flow of air thereto when in use, in order that adequate combustion air will be present to consummate their burning. The base sheet, or support, of the material is formed by a web or mat of wood pulp paper, which is dry at the commencement of manufacture and which is redried after manufacture is complete so that the material will be in condition for storage, shipment, and use. The mat paper material is more or less completely impregnated with odor producing components which enhance the smell when burned and which contribute valuable and pleasant flavors to food cooked on a fire started through use of the kindling material. Since the kindling material will not ignite except under very high temperature conditions, and yet may be easily lighted by applicationof the flame of a match, the material is, under usual conditions, completely safe during storage, transportation, and use. The material burns completely, leaving only a fine, highly pulverulent ash, so that, once a fire has been started through its use, there is no undesirable residue remaining which could cause any objectionable effects, such as the stoppage of grates, .or the like. The kindling material also includes component material which serves to drive insects away from its location when it is burned, as this component is then distributed about the site of the fire with this desirable effect.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of the kindling material and a preferred method of manufacturing the kindling material.

In the manufacture of kindling material as contemplated by this invention, a mat or Web of paper material is employed as a base. This paper material, which resembles papier mache, is formed into a desired shape. The pulp employed in making this paper material is preferably composed of about ten percent hickory wood pulp and about "ice ninety percent of other Wood pulp, such as pine or other common paper making wood pulp. The mat may be made of any desired shape, for example, the mat may be made in flat sheet form, in curved sheet form, in other shaped forms, such as, for example, a plurality of regularly disposed cone shapes protruding from a sheet or base, or in any other desired form such as strips or rolls, or the like. A description of the manufacture of the paper mat material is without the scope of this invention, and will not be described here, as such processes are well known to those skilled in the paper markers art. Besides the wood pulp, the paper material will normally include a binder material in addition to other augmenting materials which improve quality, appearance, and texture of the paper. The invention is not limited to use of paper mat material as de: scribed herein as other paper or paper-like materials may be employed if desired, although usually with somewhat less satisfactory results.

As has been stated, the preferred wood pulp mixture from which the paper mat material is made is such as to include at least some percentage of wood pulp such as hickory wood pulp, or sometimes pecan hull pulp, or the like. This pulp material is included in the pulp used in making the paper mat material in order that, when the kindling materials formed according to the invention are ignited and burned, they will give off an odor which is not only pleasant but which will contribute both odor and flavor to foods cooked on the fire.

The mat material, in the shape or form desired for the finished kindling material, is, as a first step of manufacture, dipped into a bath containing one part of commercial hickory oil and one hundred parts of water. Other proportions of these materials may sometimes be used. This bath is maintained at a temperature of about 400 F. Although there may be some variation from this temperature, a temperature very much less than 400 F. causes imperfect penetration by the bath material into the mat material. It is desired that fairly thorough penetration of the hickory oil-water bath be achieved. The mat material is retained in this bath for about one minute, and then removed, cooled, and dried.

If the hickory oil-water bath is maintained at a temperature significantly over 400 B, there is danger that the hickory oil will be charred or burned, ruining the bath material.

The cooling and drying of the mat after dipping in the hickory oil-water bath may be accomplished by any desired manner, it being necessary that the immersed mat material not being subjected to excessive temperatures which would tend to destroy not only the pulp in the mat but also the hickory oil contained therein.

The dried mat from the previous step is next dipped or immersed for at least 30 seconds in a second bath which is composed of one part of commercial citronella oil and one hundred parts of water. Other mixtures of these materials may sometimes be used. This bath is maintained at a temperature of at least 325 F., and the temperature is over 375 F., the previously applied hickory oil coating 0n the mat material is caused to spread and be at least partly destroyed. The mat after having been dipped in the citronella oil bath is removed, cooled, and dried again. Again, temperatures for drying must not be such as to destroy the mats or the material coated and penetrated thereinto.

Next, the mats are dipped or immersed in a bath which is composed of par-afiin wax oil. Practically any paraflin material may be used for this bath, although some will give far better results than others. For example, in northern states of the United States, paraffin wax oil which is commercially designated as No. 33 paraffin wax oil, which has a melting point of 133 F., is a preferred material for use. This paraflin wax oil, when cooled and condensed as a solid on the mats, has a sufficiently high melting point that, during storage or exposure in summer months, the wax coating is not damaged or destroyed. In southern states, a parafiin wax oil such as parafiin wax oil No. 43 which has a melting point of 143 F., is more desirable since higher ambient temperatures are encountered in southern states. The proper selection of the paraffin is important so that coated mat material Will not be produced which will tend to stick together, or run, during storage, transportation, and use of the product.

The mat material, previously coated by the hickory oil and citronella baths, is dipped in the paraflin wax oil at a temperature of at least 350 F., and may be taken out immediately, and cooled to dryness.

After this step, the finished kindling material is ready for use.

.Although commercial grades of hickory oil and citronella oil are suitable for use in connection with this invention, other grades of these materials may be employed. Similarly, the paraffin wax oil need not be of any specific grade or type, but the grades indicated are desirable in that they have uniform melting temperatures and tend to make a finished product which may be stored and used in better condition and with better durability.

The pulp wood mat material is preferably a fairly firm or hard pulp type of paper, which has sufficient strength so that the finished product may be stored and handled without undue care being necessary. The paper mat material will normally have enough strength so that it will support a person standing thereon, but may be made significantly harder or softer than this without greatly affecting the utility of the finished product, although the durability thereof will be affected.

Inasmuch as the hickory oil-water and citronella oilwater bath mixtures are composed largely of water, the temperatures at which the baths operate are considerably above the boiling points of these solutions, so that these baths must be maintained within closed vessels and under pressure to avoid boiling away of the baths and to enable reaching of the described temperatures. The apparatus employed may be operated by hand dipping, or by any of a number of varieties of continuous types of apparatus. A convenient method for drying the baths after each of the first two dipping steps, is to apply radiation emitted by infrared lamps, and both of the drying steps, after the first two dips, may be accomplished in the same oven or in separate ovens.

The pulp wood mat material, although firm enough to have satisfactory strength, is usually somewhat porous so that adequate penetrations of the baths will result. The paraffin dip provides an exterior coating for the mats which not only preserves the odors of the hickory oil and citronella, but seals these materials from effects of exposure to air.

To use the kindling mats prepared according to the invention in starting a fire, the mat is placed so that air can reach the mat over at least a substantial proportion of its areas. Then, fuel material such as charcoal, wood, coal, or any other material suitable for fuel, is placed upon the mat, and the mat lighted by application of the flame of a match, or the like. The flame ignites the mat at once and the entire mat soon becomes ignited. The Duration of the flame is such that the fuel material is thoroughly lighted before the mat is completely consumed. During this time, the burning mat gives off hickory oil and citronella oil odors in vapor form. The hickory oil material penetrates the fuel and contributes desirable flavors to the fire. The citronella oil fragrance surrounds the fire area and causes dispelling'of insects in the area, such as flies, mosquitoes, and the like. After the mat is consumed, and the fire is going well, the mat is in such deteriorated, fine form that it does not prevent access of air to the burning fuel, so that the fire burns in a highly satisfactory and desirable manner. The burning mat con tributes no undesirable odors to the fuel and subsequent fire, so that during cooking over the fire no undesirable odors are imparted to the food. The citronella material is so adequately dispelled and leaves no residual that it does not affect cooking with the fire.

As has been stated, the mat material may be supplied in substantially any form, it being desirable that at least some curved shapes are included so that access of air will be satisfactory. It is possible that the mat material be made up of repeated shapes supplied in a single sheet or structure so that portions thereof may be cut or broken away for separate use.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, many modifications thereof may be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it isintended to protect by Letters Patent all forms of the invention falling within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Kindling and insect repellent material, comprising base web means in the form of a sheet of heavy paper containing nut wood pulp, said base means containing citronella oil and hickory oil impregnated thereinto, and a coating of paraffin completely covering the exterior of said web means and impregnating said web means, said paraflin coating sealing said citronella oil and llllCkOIY oil within said web means, said parafiin coating being readily ignitable by a flame whereby to ignite said web means and release the nut wood, hickory oil, and citronella oil odors with the smoke resulting from the combustion and to ignite a fuel material for a fire, said nut wood and hickory oil odors serving to flavor foods cooked over the fire, said citronella oil not being absorbed by said foods cooked over the fire and surrounding the fire area to repel insects therefrom.

2. The combination of claim 1, said nut wood pulp comprising approximately 10% hickory wood pulp.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,755,282 4/1930 Williams 44--6 2,007,694 7/ 1935 Rutherford 44-41 2,341,377 2/1944 Hinderer 44-15 FOREIGN PATENTS 118,741 9/1918 Great Britain.

DANIEL E. WYMAN, Primary Examiner.

C. F. DEES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. KINDLING AND INSECT REPELLENT MATERIAL, COMPRISING BASE WEB MEANS IN THE FORM OF A SHEET OF HEAVY PAPER CONTAINING NUT WOOD PULP, SAID BASE MEANS CONTAINING CITRONELLA OIL AND HICKORY OIL IMPREGNATED THEREINTO, AND A COATING OF PARAFFIN COMPLETELY COVERING THE EXTERIOR OF SAID WEB MEANS AND IMPREGNATING SAID WEB MEANS, SAID PARAFFIN COATING SEALING SAID CITRONELLA OIL AND HICKORY OIL WITHIN SAID WEB MEANS, SAID PARAFFIN COATING BEING READILY IGNITABLE BY A FLAME WHEREBY TO IGNITE SAID WEB MEANS AND RELEASE THE NUT WOOD, HICKORY OIL, AND CITRONELLA OIL ODORS WITH THE SMOKE RESULTING FROM THE CONBUSTION AND TO IGNITE A FUEL MATERIAL FOR A FIRE, SAID NUT WOOD AND HICKORY OIL ODORS SERVING TO FLAVOR FOODS COOKED OVER THE FIRE, SAID CITRONELLA OIL NOT BEING ABSORBED BY SAID FOODS COOKED OVER THE FIRE AND SURROUNDING THE FIRE AREA TO REPEL INSECTS THEREFROM. 